Ben Jonson’s The Alchemist and Volpone: Retellings

The Alchemist: When the plague was raging in London, the master of a house left London out of fear of catching the plague. He left behind one servant; this servant, left on his own, became corrupted through lack of an overseer, and he became acquainted with a con man and his prostitute. These two were at a low position on the Wheel of Fortune, and so they were branching away from their small-scale illegal activities and were becoming swindlers on a greater scale. To help them engage in their illegal activities, they needed a house to set up shop in, and so they made an agreement with the servant: They would act in concert to cheat suckers and then share equally in the spoils — one third to each of the three. They were able to draw many suckers to the house, and they were able to cheat and abuse them by doing such things as making and selling horoscopes, telling fortunes and gossip, selling familiar spirits of the kind that are aides to witches, and selling immorality such as prostitution, along with pretending to create a philosopher’s stone, which believers supposed to be able to turn base metals such as iron and lead into silver and gold. The three con artists engaged in such swindling until their supposed philosopher’s stone, and they themselves, and everything else went up in smoke. Volpone Volpone, childless, rich, feigns sick, [feigns] despair, Offers his estate to hopes of several heirs, Lies languishing: his parasite receives Presents from all, assures, deludes; then weaves Other cross plots [counter-plots], which open themselves [unfold and reveal themselves and] are told [exposed]. New tricks for safety are sought; they thrive: when bold, Each tempts the other again, and all are sold [betrayed, ruined].